Actuator for glare shields



May 16, 1939. M. J. LARSON AcTuAToR Fon GLARE sHmLns 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed oct. 27, 19:55

/4 TURA/E 5/ May 15, 1939- M. J. LARsoN ACTUTOR FOR GLARE SHIELKDS 2 snee'ts-"sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1956 R ON /A/z/EA/TU M. J. LABS /47- TUR/.v5 I

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES FATE-*NT .oF-.Fics

Merwin J. Larson, Portland, Oreg.

Application October 27, 1936, Serial No. 107,830

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the automotive industry and particularly to a glare shield having means for operating same.

The main object of this invention is the pro- 5 vision of a glare shield having a power driven means for moving same to an operative position in order to expedite the positioning of the shield without detracting from the attention of the driver.

l The second object is the construction of a glare shield which is moved to a shielding position by the power of the motor and to an inoperative position by means of a spring.

I accomplish these and other objects in the l manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary View showing the interior of the drivers compartment, the position of the glare shield, and the controlling valve.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with the air tube broken away for shortening purposes.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the piston member.

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of a modified form of the device showing the shield in an inoperative position and the cylinder in section.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken along the line 8 8 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. '7 but showing the shield in an operating position.

Fig. l0 is a Vertical Section taken along the 4 line III-IIJ in Fig. 9, showing the windshield glass in dotted lines.

Fig. 1l is a plan of Fig. 9. Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a fragmentary view of a car I2 on whose windshield I3 is mounted a cap I4. The cap i4 is provided with a closed end I. Under the cap I4 is disposed the pneumatic cylinder IB on whose closed end Il is mounted the spring I8 on whose upper end rests the piston I9 to which is secured a" pair of rods 29, which are slidable within the ears 2|, which are mounted on the interior of the cap |4. The piston I9 is slidable within the cylinder I6 whose upper end 23 is reduced in diameter so that it may enter the cap I4. Brackets 24 secure the cap I4 to the car frame 25. One of the rods 29 is provided with a bent portion 26 which forms a transverse slot 2l. 5 Extending transversely through the cap I4 is a horizontal shaft 28 Whose intermediate portion 29 is in the form of a crank which occupies the slot 2l. The shaft 28 is provided with the two arms 3i! for supporting the shield 3|. The cylinder i6 l0 is connected by means of the tubing 33 to the valve Si and to the intake manifold 39 of the motor. The valve 34 may be of any convenient type, preferably one which is controlled by means of a two-way lever 35, which is mounted above the oorboard 39 between the clutch pedal 3i and brake pedal 38. The shield 3| itself is preferably in the form of a colored transparency.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows. The spring I8 normally urges the pis- 20 ton I9 in an upward direction, and since the intermediate portion 29 of the shaftv28 occupies the transverse slot 2l, it follows that the shield 3| is held in an uppermost position. When it is r desired to lower the shield 3|, the driver merely moves the valve 34 to an open position, permitting the suction from the manifold 39 to draw the piston I9 downwardly and carry with it the shield 3|. It will remain in this position until the valve 34 is again closed or until the motor is stopped. It can be seen that by this construction the control lever 35 may be conveniently disposed since the pneumatic tubing 33 can be readily carried around any obstacle.

In the form of the device Shown in Figs. '7 to l1, the shield 3|, the arms 39, the shaft 28, and the intermediate portion 29 are identical with the first described form of the device except for the fact that there is provided a crank 49 by 40 means of which the device may be actuated. The shaft 28 is supported within the cylinder 4|, which is provided with a closing cap 42. Between the intermediate portion 29 of the shaft 28 and the end 43 of the cylinder 4| is placed the tension 3 spring 44 which is so arranged as to hold the shield 3| in the upward position as shown in Fig. 8 on in the lower position as shown in Fig. 10, depending upon which side of -the center the portion 29 is moved by the crank 40. 50

While this form of the device functions in identically the same manner as does the first described form, it is somewhat less convenient in operation since the driver must raise his hand to a position above the top of the windshield I3 g5 in order to manipulate the crank 40; whereas in the rst described form of the device, the lever 35 can be operated by means of the foot.

I claim:

l. An actuator for glare shields consisting of a pneumatic cylinder having a piston disposed Within same, slide rods attached to said piston, ears within said cylinder constituting guides for said rods, a Scotch yoke connected to one of said slides, a shaft journaling in said cylinder normal to its longitudinal axis having a crank at its 1ntermediate portion engaging said Scotch yoke, said shaft having arms projecting from opposite ends thereof adapted to support a shield element, means for evacuating the air from one end of said cylinder and a spring for resisting the action of said air evacuating means.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pneumatic cylinder having a spring urged piston disposed therein, a cap for one end of said cylinder having guides therein, a pair of piston rods attached to said piston and supported by said guides, a Scotch yoke attached to said piston, a shaft journaling in said cylinder normal to its axis and having a crank thereon engaging said Scotch yoke and radial Shield supporting arms disposed at opposite ends of said shaft.

MERWIN J. LARSON. 

